


Like The Fabric Softener Bear

by writesometimes



Category: Psych
Genre: 5+1 Things, Flirting, Fluff and Angst, M/M, More tooth rotting fluff than anything though, Soft Kisses, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2018-06-17
Packaged: 2019-05-24 15:06:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14956934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writesometimes/pseuds/writesometimes
Summary: The office chair rolled backward quickly and hit the wall behind them, hard. Shawn jolted forward and nearly tumbled out of Lassiter's lap. The detective immediately wrapped his arms around Shawn's waist to keep him from falling down onto the hard station floor.





	Like The Fabric Softener Bear

**Author's Note:**

> 5 times Shawn catches a glimpse of Lassiter's softer side and 1 time Shawn is softer with Lassiter

Shawn brushed his bangs out of his eyes and sighed. He'd been lounging in the corner of the drunk tank for over an hour and he was starting to get restless. On the plus side, it was so late at that point he had the space to himself. He looked around, bored, as the effects of the four wine coolers he'd chugged earlier wore off. The jangling of keys caught his attention and he sat up.

"My dad said I could go!" Shawn blurted before the approaching figure even hit the last step on the stairs leading down to where he was being kept.

"That's groovy and all, but I don't take orders from your dad, kid," a tall officer said gruffly.

" _Groovy_? Really, dude? It's 1995!"

The officer turned slowly and glared into the dimly lit drunk tank. It was the officer Shawn had seen before. The one with the mustache his dad had barked orders at. Shawn sighed and leaned back against the wall. The lanky officer was still glaring at him.

"You have no idea who I am, do you?" Shawn asked airily.

"Should I?" the officer questioned.

Shawn thought for a moment. This guy was obviously a rookie, otherwise he'd have recognized Shawn's scruffy mug instantly. It wasn't this guy's fault Henry was such a hard ass. He didn't need to drag this poor rookie into his family drama.

"Nah, I'm nobody important. Just trying to get the hell out of here, you know?" Shawn shrugged.

"Well, maybe you should have thought about that before you got intoxicated in public," officer lanky admonished.

"I had a couple wine coolers, man!" Shawn whined.

Officer lanky shrugged. "Not _my_  problem. I'm not the one in police custody, am I?"

Shawn sighed. "Whatever, man. I'm sobering up now anyway. If I could get some water I'd be out of your hair even sooner."

Shawn squirmed under the officer's intense gaze for what felt like an eternity before the guy disappeared. He barely had time to wonder what he'd said to piss the rookie off before he was back, sticking a bottle of water through the bars of the drunk tank.

"Thanks, dude," Shawn said as he unscrewed the cap and gulped down half the bottle of cool water.

The officer just nodded.

"Dads," Shawn sighed, "Am I right?"

Officer lanky stared at his perfectly shined boots.

"Nevermind, your dad probably loves you more than life itself, right? I mean, you're a cop. What's better than your son being a cop?" Shawn blurted bitterly.

"You'd be surprised," the officer muttered.

Shawn squinted through his bangs at the rookie.

The man cleared his throat and adjusted the large flashlight on his belt. "Look, whatever issues you've got with your dad, you're probably not gonna find the solution at the bottom of a wine cooler."

"Should I try a bottle of scotch instead?" Shawn countered.

The rookie sighed deeply. "No. I just think it's not worth killing your liver to get back at your dad. Trust me."

Shawn studied the officer carefully. If he lost the goofy mustache he probably thought was very _Magnum P.I._ , he'd be easier to take seriously. He was just about to tell the officer that when someone hollered down the stairs.

"Officer Lassiter! Get up here and fill out this paperwork so we can release Spencer's kid!"

Shawn and the officer stared at one another, wide-eyed. After a moment Shawn shook his head and tipped the water bottle at the rookie. "Thanks, _Lassiter_."

* * *

Shawn squinted through the blinds of Chief Vick's office and tried to read her lips as she talked with Lassiter and Juliet.

"We didn't get called in for this case, did we, Shawn?" Gus hissed.

Shawn rolled his eyes. "Not yet, but I totally heard about it on the police scanner I keep at the office," he scoffed as he turned to face his best friend.

"I thought your dad confiscated that."

"Like I can't break into my own childhood home and get my stuff back."

Gus slapped him lightly on the shoulder and nodded toward the Chief's door. Lassiter and Juliet walked out quickly, going over the case file they'd just been given. Shawn stumbled in front of them, hand to his temple.

"I'm seeing sunshine, dirt, watering cans. Roses? Or peonies? Both! And the color orange."

"That's incredible," Juliet gasped. "We just got a case at the Home Depot. A young woman collapsed in the garden center. She's in critical condition."

"Yes, yes, that must be what the spirits are trying to tell me about. I told you we needed to come down here right away, Gus," Shawn said seriously.

Lassiter rolled his eyes and bumped his shoulder roughly against Shawn's on the way to his desk. "We don't need you on this one, Spencer. We're still waiting for the test results on the woman's blood work. For all we know, she overheated and passed out," he said sternly as he sat down at his desk.

"In seventy degree weather?" Gus asked incredulously.

"Oh mister, please help me!" Shawn cried in a high-pitched voice. He flung himself at Lassiter's desk. "What happened to me, mister?"

"He must be channeling the woman," Gus explained as he watched Shawn lean over the detective's desk.

"Oh, you have to help me you big, strong, handsome man!" Shawn shrieked as he stumbled toward Lassiter and threw his hands on his shoulders.

Lassiter scooted backward a bit in his office chair and glared at Gus and Juliet. "Someone come collect him, please," he demanded.

Shawn moaned loudly and gripped Lassiter's tie in his hands. "Help me, mister! You're my only hope!" He closed his eyes and hopped into Lassiter's lap without a second's hesitation.

The office chair rolled backward quickly and hit the wall behind them, hard. Shawn jolted forward and nearly tumbled out of Lassiter's lap. The detective immediately wrapped his arms around Shawn's waist to keep him from falling down onto the hard station floor.

Shawn's eyes flew open and he stared at Lassiter from where he was carefully perched on the detective's knees. He looked down to where Lassiter's arms were wrapped around his middle, keeping him securely in his lap. "You could at least buy me dinner first," Shawn chuckled.

" _You_  threw yourself at _me_ ," Lassiter spat.

Shawn shook his head. "You know I can't control how the spirits use me to communicate. I am a vessel."

Lassiter sighed angrily. Shawn noticed the detective's arms were still wrapped around his waist though. He leaned down closer to Lassiter and fiddled with the knot in his tie. "Maybe we could get dinner _after_  we check out the Home Depot," Shawn murmured.

He'd expected to be dumped onto the floor immediately, but Lassiter didn't move. He just stared, wide-eyed at Shawn.

Juliet cleared her throat loudly. "We should probably head to the scene to check the security footage before we go to the hospital," she reasoned.

Shawn hopped off Lassiter's lap quickly, the detective's hands brushing over his thighs as he stood up.

"Well, you heard her, Gus! Let's go to Home Depot. Hopefully we won't run into my dad this time." Shawn quickly lead the way to the parking lot.

Juliet waited expectantly for her partner. When he didn't move, she threw her hands up in exasperation. "Guess _I'll_  drive then," she called as she made her way to the station doors.

Lassiter shook his head, clearing his mind. "No way O'Hara. My car, I drive!" He jumped to his feet and scrambled out of the station after his partner.

Shawn waited in the parking lot for Gus to unlock the Blueberry. "Lassie totally saved my bacon in there," he said in awe.

"More like he didn't want to fill out an incident report after you cracked your head open in the station making an ass out of yourself," Gus huffed.

Shawn shook his head. "Please. If I didn't _make an ass out of myself_  we wouldn't get half the cases we do. And we both know Lassie is just a big softie under that serious, brooding detective exterior."

Gus rolled his eyes. "Sure, Shawn. A big softie. With a gun." He unlocked the car and got behind the wheel.

"He's like that little fabric softener bear from the old commercials inside, Gus!"

"If it carried a gun, sure."

Shawn chuckled and fastened his seat belt. "Can you imagine? The little snuggly bear, running through a field with fresh laundry, wearing a little shoulder holster."

Gus started the car and looked at Shawn. He tried his hardest not to smirk.

"You're picturing it, aren't you? The little bear with a shoulder holster!" Shawn laughed.

Gus schooled his features and headed for the Home Depot.

* * *

Shawn flicked a beer cap into the trash can by the bench he'd been sitting on for the last hour. The beer had long since gone flat and warm and he grimaced as he took another swig. He was sitting out front of the Psych office watching the last few people still out on the beach despite the late hour. His phone buzzed in his pocket. He ignored it. There was no way it could be Gus, his phone had been broken in the bank robbery earlier, and Shawn didn't really feel like talking to anyone else at the moment.

Sure, hot dogs out on the pier with Juliet had been fun after the stressful day he'd had. Plus, she'd brought Gus' shoes back, but Shawn felt like moping for the rest of the night. Sue him. The realization that he could have lost Gus that afternoon set in all at once when he'd gone back to the office alone after dinner with Juliet and saw Gus' shoes sitting on his desk. He very quickly realized that could have been all that was left of his best friend if he hadn't been so eager to figure out the bank robber's motives.

That realization had lead to Shawn sitting out front of the office, on a bench, sipping a lukewarm beer and staring off into the darkness of the ocean after ten that night. He felt it was a very justified brooding session.

Head lights illuminated the area around him and Shawn turned around on the bench and squinted into the parking lot. The lights shut off abruptly and Shawn couldn't make out the figure climbing out of the sedan.

"Spencer?"

He recognized the voice calling his name. 

"Lassie?" he called in confusion.

Lassiter grunted and roughly shut the car door. "I've been trying to get a hold of you for over two hours," he groused.

Shawn pulled his phone out of his pocket. There were seven missed texts from Lassiter. "My bad," he called as he jammed his phone back in his pocket. "I turned the ringer off."

Lassiter walked up behind Shawn where he sat on the bench. "When have you ever put your phone on silent?" he asked incredulously.

Shawn just shot him a wry grin and turned back to stare at the beach.

"Is that an open container?" Lassiter asked as he sat down on the bench beside Shawn.

"Really, dude," Shawn sighed.

"How many have you had?" Lassiter asked as he focused on the waves lapping at the shore.

"Just this one," Shawn said, finishing the warm beer. He winced and tossed the empty bottle in the trash.

Lassiter hummed and continued avoiding making eye contact with Shawn.

After an awkward moment of silence, Shawn cleared his throat. "What did you want to get a hold of me for?" he asked quietly.

"You didn't finish your witness statement," Lassiter explained plainly.

Shawn noticed the detective still wouldn't meet his eyes. "Oh sorry, did I forget to sign on the dotted line?" he scoffed.

"No, you stopped writing mid-sentence right after you explained how you waited in the car while Guster went into the bank."

"You guys know what happened after that, you were there! Why should I have to re-live it all over again?"

Lassiter finally looked over at Shawn then. "I know today was rough for you. Guster is more than your business partner and I can appreciate that. And I... understand if you're still a little rattled by what happened --"

"Rattled?" Shawn interjected. "He's my _best friend_. Capital B capital F, Best Friend. And I let him go into the bank alone. And he got stuck in the middle of some dangerous, hair-brained scheme! It could have --"

Lassiter didn't let him finish the thought. "It didn't though. _You_  figured out what was really going on and got him out. And made sure all the guilty parties were caught. Overall, I'd say that's more than adequate, Spencer."

Shawn turned his whole body toward Lassiter, propping one leg up on the bench between them. "Then why do I still feel so crappy about the whole thing?"

"Because you're human, Spencer. You care about Guster, he's important to you. And we worry about the people who are important to us. Hell, if you weren't truly worried about him do you really think you could have convinced me to go against protocol and leave the scene today?"

Shawn stared into Lassiter's suddenly very wise, blue eyes. "Thank you for that, by the way," he muttered. "I know protocol and rules and all that lame junk are important to you."

Lassiter sighed and shook his head ruefully.

"Wait, so when you grabbed me to stop me from running into the bank after Gus... were you _worried_  about me?" Shawn asked quickly.

Lassiter swallowed thickly and loosened his tie. "You're a civilian, Spencer. It's literally my job to prevent you from running into a hostage situation. I can't believe I have to explain --"

"And when you just took charge and hopped in that van, throwing caution to the wind, you were worried. And when you fought over me with Jules' senior citizen boyfriend you were --"

"Enough! I remember what happened today," Lassiter grumbled.

Shawn noticed the tips of the detective's ears were turning pink. "So if you remember it all, how come I still have to fill out the witness report?" he asked petulantly.

Lassiter glared at Shawn and he could tell he was about to be on the receiving end of one of the detective's lectures.

"You already went against protocol once today," Shawn reminded him slyly.

"Fine. I'll give you two more days to fill out the report. Since today was... trying for you. But it still needs to be done, okay? It's a mandatory and important part of working the case."

Shawn reached over and tugged on the tip of Lassiter's tie. "God, I was so right this afternoon."

Lassiter gave him a puzzled look.

"It _is_  sexy when you go against protocol."

Lassiter turned redder than his car before he yanked his tie out of Shawn's grasp and scrambled off the bench. "Two days, Spencer," he called sternly as he retreated back to his sedan.

Shawn smirked and turned his attention back to the calm waters of the Pacific.

* * *

The sun had just begun to set as Shawn arrived at a two story house on a quiet, suburban street. Chief Vick had told him to get to the house as soon as possible, someone had just tried to break in while a mother and her son were home. Shawn shoved the rest of his churro in his mouth as he ducked under the crime scene tape strung across the front door. 

A sudden, ear piercing wail ripped through the house and Shawn covered his ears as he wandered through the entryway. Just as he was approaching what seemed to be the living room, the crying stopped. He could hear people murmuring in awe. He looked around the corner and saw Lassiter, back to the entryway Shawn was peering into. He got an idea.

He tip-toed quietly through the living room, determined to sneak up on Lassiter and give him the ass-pat of a lifetime, but he missed the stuffed duck lying on the floor. It squeaked loudly when Shawn stepped on it, and a loud cry once again cut through the air.

Lassiter spun around and scowled. "Spencer!" he hissed.

"I was --" Shawn lost his train of thought as he noticed Lassiter was holding a tiny baby in his arms. "Why are you holding a baby?"

"He started to cry when he woke up," Lassiter answered simply as he gently bounced the baby in his arms.

"Okay... I still don't get _why_  you're holding him," Shawn countered.

"He's the only one who could get the kid to stop crying!" a uniformed officer called from the kitchen.

Lassiter smiled down at the bundle in his arms. "He was just stressed out and scared when he woke up. There's a lot of commotion and people, it's getting late, his mommy's not here, and I think he's just started teething," he explained in a gentle voice as he watched the infant intently.

"Where are the parents?" Shawn asked.

"Mom's upstairs going through what happened with the Chief. Dad's on his way home from work."

Shawn watched in awe as the baby reached up and grabbed Lassiter's index finger and the detective's face lit up.

"Oh, such a strong little man," Lassiter cooed at the baby.

Shawn pulled his phone out of his pocket and snapped a quick picture. Lassiter gave him his classic confused and angry scowl.

"Just because Gus has to be at some lame pharmaceutical conference in Bakersfield doesn't mean he should have to miss you in full _Mr. Mom_  glory! Could make a good screen saver, too," Shawn chuckled as he sent the picture off to Gus.

Lassiter turned his attention back to the tiny bundle in his arms. "Ignore Spencer, he's a moron. Just go back to sleep, little guy. It's gonna be okay," he said sweetly.

"Hey!" Shawn crossed the living room to stand beside Lassiter and looked at the baby. "I'm not a moron! I'm super awesome and Lassie is just jealous," he said seriously to the baby. The infant giggled happily and kicked his feet.

"Don't rile him up, I'm trying to get him to go back to sleep," Lassiter scolded quietly.

Shawn gave him a confused look, but the detective missed it completely as he smiled down at the baby. Shawn spotted a stuffed dog on the couch, its ear slightly chewed. He picked it up and gingerly handed it to the infant, who immediately began chewing on the ear.

"Is that your special toy, little dude?" Shawn cooed.

"I told you he was starting to teeth," Lassiter said confidently as he gently rocked the baby.

Shawn shook his head in disbelief. "I never thought I'd have to add _baby whisperer_  to my list of 'Lassie's super secret and super sexy talents'."

"What?" Lassiter gaped at Shawn.

"Oh yeah. It'll have to go after that whole thing where you ejected a round from your gun and caught it mid-air, but somewhere before the fact that you can make an arm sling look kinda hot."

Lassiter turned red. "Spencer," he barked angrily.

The baby squirmed in the detective's arms and fussed a bit. "No, no, shhh. It's okay. I'm sorry," Lassiter cooed.

Shawn moved closer and played with the baby's toes, making him giggle loudly. Shawn beamed and started cooing nonsense at the infant. Lassiter smiled at Shawn, watching as he played carefully with the infant.

Chief Vick rounded the corner into the living room and was met with the last thing she thought she'd ever see. Lassiter smiling wistfully as he cradled a baby to his chest, Shawn huddled to his side playing with the tiny baby and making him giggle.

She cleared her throat and Shawn backed away from Lassiter.

"Have you learned anything from the baby, Mr. Spencer?" she asked sarcastically.

"Just that if you need a sitter in a pinch, Lassie's your guy." Shawn winked at the detective as he made his way out of the living room.

* * *

A black sedan sped down a dark street and hit a speed bump, hard. Lassiter grunted loudly and grit his teeth. "This is just fantastic," he groused. "Just how I wanted my day to end."

Shawn sighed and tried once again to free his hands. "Oh yeah, 'cause this was totally how I wanted to spend my night too. Tied up and locked in the trunk of a car with _you_."

Lassiter scowled. At least Shawn thought it was a scowl. It was pretty dark in the small trunk. Whatever facial expression the detective was giving him, it was made more intimidating by the soft red glow filtering in from the tail lights of the car.

"They should totally put red lights in all the interrogation rooms at the station. I bet you'd get like every criminal in Santa Barbara to confess," Shawn mused aloud.

"Spencer! Now is really not the time!"

"You're right, I'm sorry. Here, let me just free us from the trunk of this moving vehicle. Oh wait, _my hands are literally tied_!" Shawn ranted.

Lassiter sighed heavily and Shawn could smell fruity gum on his breath. Their faces were just inches apart and Shawn was trying very hard not to make awkward, prolonged eye contact with the very angry detective. It was getting harder by the second.

"You just had to follow me on my stakeout, didn't you? Dangerous criminals engaging in a money swap? Of course you should tag along!" Lassiter complained.

"Would you rather be in here alone?"

"Yes! At least then I'd have more leg room."

Shawn wiggled his legs and they bumped into Lassiter's. "Not a lot of leg room back here," he conceded.

"That's not really a top priority for a _trunk_ , Spencer!" Lassiter tried again to pull his hands free.

"What time is it?" Shawn asked casually.

"Let me just check my watch... Oh, wait!"

"I was just wondering how long we've been back here. I feel like Gus should have called the Chief by now to report that I'm gone. I'm probably missing _American Duos_  right now, he should be a little worried. I mean --"

They hit another speed bump and Lassiter jostled farther into Shawn's space, his face pressing against Shawn's forehead.

"This is your fault," Lassiter hissed.

Shawn was momentarily distracted by the feeling of Lassiter's lips moving against his forehead and didn't say a word. He scooted back as much as he possibly could and bumped his head against the back panel of the trunk.

The realization that they were packed into a dark trunk, barreling down the road, inhaling exhaust fumes finally hit Shawn and the space felt instantly smaller. "God, even if someone does realize we're missing, no one will know where to look for us. We're in a _moving car_! They're probably taking us to some secluded field. This isn't how I envisioned going to a secluded field with you!"

"What?" Lassiter choked.

"What if they don't find us, Lassie?"

Shawn felt his heart rate speed up. It was getting harder to breathe. He was panicking.

"Are you panicking, Spencer?" Lassiter whispered.

"No! Maybe. A little?"

Lassiter squinted at Shawn. Of all the things he'd expected from Shawn, panicking wasn't one of them.

"Breathe, breathe, Spencer. Chief Vick will figure out she can't contact me and she'll send a black and white to the stakeout location. When they find out I'm gone, they'll put out a BOLO. They know who I was tailing, who to look for. They'll find us."

Shawn's breath ghosted over Lassiter's lips in short bursts. "Lassie, I don't want to die in the trunk of a car, shot to death by some scum bag. I'm finally, like, figuring it all out! I'm happy being back in Santa Barbara. I like working with my best friend. I can mostly tolerate my dad. Jules is awesome. And you... Lassie, you're --"

"Shawn," Lassiter breathed, "They'll find us. You'll continue to work cases with Guster and be a gigantic pain in my ass. We're not gonna die in the trunk of a car. I promise."

Shawn chuckled quietly and shut his eyes. "God, Lassie, you're such a softie. Just a big 'ol fabric softener teddy bear."

"What?" Lassiter whispered.

Shawn kept his eyes shut as he leaned his head closer to Lassiter's. The detective shut his eyes and took a deep breath.

"You're a big softie. A big, mushy, caring, softie," Shawn whispered in the limited space between himself and Lassiter.

Lassiter pressed his forehead against Shawn's and held his breath.

"Lassie, I --"

A sound in the distance silenced Shawn. His eyes flew open. Lassiter was so close, but the sound was getting closer.

"Lassie, do you hear sirens?"

Lassiter's eyes flew open and he jerked his head back. "Yes! I told you they'd find us!"

Shawn stared silently at Lassiter's beaming face. Before he could say anything, the trunk popped open and Chief Vick stared down at the two men jammed in the trunk.

"Gentlemen," she said plainly.

"Chief, thank god! It's far too cramped in here for me and Lassie's gangly legs!" Shawn cried.

* * *

The parking garage was brightly lit, fluorescent bulbs humming quietly overhead. Juliet and Lassiter had their guns trained on their latest sweaty, twitchy perp. Shawn came around a corner quickly, hand to his temple, and started yelling. 

"You didn't mean to kill her, did you?" Shawn called as he came to a stop in front of the detectives.

"Spencer," Lassiter grit out angrily.

"She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, wasn't she?" Shawn went on, ignoring Lassiter completely.

"How would you know?" the perp called, aiming his gun at Shawn.

"Spencer, now is _not_  the time," Lassiter hissed.

"You were just a pawn in this whole thing, weren't you? I'm seeing it now. Your boss, he paid you to break into his house to steal the painting, didn't he?" Shawn went on.

"Shut up!" the perp screamed.

"You were just going to help him commit a bit of insurance fraud, weren't you? But then the poor housekeeper came in," Shawn rambled.

"No one was supposed to be in the house!" the perp screamed.

"No. It was a stupid mistake. But now a woman's dead. You had to kill her, she'd seen your face."

"Shut up! Shut up!"

It happened in the blink of an eye. The perp's finger twitched on the trigger of his gun. Lassiter tackled Shawn. A loud 'bang' rang out through the parking garage. Juliet yelling. Another loud 'bang'. Lassiter hissing in pain as he rolled off of Shawn.

Shawn sat up quickly. Juliet was running over to where the perp was laid out on the concrete, clutching his leg. Lassiter was sprawled out beside Shawn, clutching his shoulder.

"Lassie," Shawn gasped as he scrambled over to the detective. He could see blood pooling beneath the detective's palm. Carefully, he moved Lassiter's hand and peeled away his sport coat. "Oh, god, Lassie." Shawn fought the panic growing in his chest. He pressed one hand firmly over the bullet wound in the detective's shoulder. "Jules! We need an ambulance! Lassie, he's been shot!"

Juliet responded but Shawn didn't comprehend her words. Lassiter's eyes were slipping closed. Shawn grabbed the detective's shoulder holster on his uninjured side, clutching it tightly.

"Lassie, hey buddy, stay with me. Please, Lassie, come on. Yell at me. Tell me what a moron I am," Shawn pleaded.

Lassiter chuckled weakly. "You _are_  a moron, Spencer."

"Yes!" Shawn cried, "A dumb, moron. I'm a dumb moron and you're a handsome, brave, hero and you've gonna be fine, Lassie."

Sirens wailed in the distance and everything went blurry for the detective.

Lassiter heard muffled voices and slowly opened his eyes. He was in a hospital bed, gown tied uncomfortably around his neck, right arm in a sling. The hospital room door opened and a figure edged its way inside.

"Lassie?" Shawn whispered, poking his head out from behind the gift basket he was carrying.

Lassiter sat up in his bed and grunted.

"Hey, whoa, take it easy, man," Shawn said as he deposited the gift basket on a table and pressed Lassiter back against his bed gently.

Lassiter laid back easily and stared up at Shawn. He pressed a button on the side of the bed rail and the mattress tilted up slowly, propping the detective up gently.

"O'Hara? The perp?" Lassiter asked quickly.

"Fine. Well, Jules is fine. She shot the guy in the leg. He'll be fine too, and then he'll be in jail."

Lassiter let out a sigh of relief and then gave Shawn a stern look. "You could have been shot, Spencer," he scolded as he adjusted his injured arm carefully in its sling.

"I know. I know," Shawn murmured. "God, I know, Lassie. I'm... you saved my life."

Lassiter stared at his feet. "It's my job to keep you safe," he said quietly. "You're a civilian," he added quickly.

Shawn huffed indignantly. "Detective Lassiter, you sir, are a hero."

Lassiter squinted up at Shawn. The gift basket on the table off to the side caught his eye. "Did you bring me a tacky gift basket from the hospital gift shop?" Lassiter asked, eager to change the subject.

"No!" Shawn insisted, snatching the basket off the table and placing it gingerly in the detective's lap. "I brought you a super awesome custom gift basket I put together for you myself."

Lassiter eyed the basket suspiciously. It was full of pineapples and tissue paper and gift certificates and gum and...

"Is that a teddy bear wearing a _shoulder holster_?" Lassiter asked as he pulled the bear from the basket.

"It is indeed. 'Cause you're just like the little fabric softener bear, all sweet and snuggly and soft, but with a gun," Shawn beamed down at Lassiter. He looked so much smaller lying in the hospital bed, surrounded by numerous pillows. Shawn cleared his throat nervously as he waited for a response from the detective.

"Where did you get a tiny shoulder holster?" Lassiter asked in disbelief.

"I know a guy, it's not a big deal," Shawn shrugged. "There's some certificates for your favorite coffee place in there too. And some fancy new organic fruit gum."

Lassiter furrowed his brow.

"'Cause you're allergic to mint," Shawn stated simply.

"How'd you --"

"Psychic, remember," Shawn chided.

Lassiter sighed and put the teddy bear back in the basket. "You didn't have to buy me anything. I was just doing my job," he insisted.

Shawn rolled his eyes and sat down carefully on the edge of the hospital bed. "Lassie, they had to dig a bullet out of your shoulder. A bullet that was meant for me. I could be lying in that bed right now, but I'm not. And that's a pretty big deal to me. Like, huge. And you totally _can_  make an arm sling sexy my god, man," Shawn mumbled.

"Spencer," Lassiter sighed.

Shawn leaned down closer to the detective. "Lassie, you're amazing and you don't hear it enough. And you deserve presents and coffee and teddy bears," he whispered.

Lassiter swallowed thickly. "What are you talking about?"

"You're totally a big, kind hearted teddy bear under your gruff detective exterior but you're still a _good_  detective and... that's amazing."

Lassiter ducked his head, trying to hide his blushing face from Shawn.

"You're amazing," Shawn whispered again.

Lassiter looked up at Shawn then, searching his face for any hint of sarcasm. He didn't see any.

"You're amazing and I just... I don't know what I would have done if --" Shawn trailed off.

Lassiter reached over and covered Shawn's hand with his own. "Thank you, Spencer," he whispered.

Shawn turned his hand over beneath Lassiter's and laced his fingers with the detective's. "I've been flirting with you for years and it takes you getting shot to let me hold your hand," he chuckled nervously.

"What?" Lassiter blurted.

"Lassie, I dig you. Think you're groovy. All that. You give me butterflies, the whole nine yards," Shawn explained nonchalantly.

Lassiter swallowed thickly. "Spencer, please don't mess with me right now. I'm lying in a hospital bed --"

Shawn leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Lassiter's lips. Lassiter's eyes slipped closed.

"I'm not messing with you, Lassie," Shawn murmured against the detective's lips. "You scared the life out of me today."

"I thought I was too late when I tackled you," Lassiter admitted quietly. "I panicked. I couldn't imagine what I would do if --"

Shawn kissed Lassiter again, gently, slowly. Lassiter hummed and squeezed Shawn's hand.

"Don't ever put yourself in the line of fire ever again," Lassiter said as he broke the kiss.

Shawn leaned back and beamed at Lassiter. "You care about me," he teased.

Lassiter turned red again and rolled his eyes. He slowly leaned forward and pecked Shawn on the temple. "Promise me?" he murmured against Shawn's skin.

Shawn ran his hand through the detective's hair. "I promise. On one condition."

Lassiter sighed.

"Go to dinner with me," Shawn said confidently.

"As soon as I'm out of here," Lassiter agreed with a smile.

Shawn stood up and placed the basket back on the table. He pulled the teddy bear out and placed it gently in Lassiter's lap. "Cuddle with him and only him until then," he said seriously, pointing at the bear.

Lassiter shook his head, but grabbed the bear and smiled at it fondly.

"I'll be back tomorrow," Shawn promised. He squeezed one the detective's feet as he saw himself out.

Lassiter smiled and shut his eyes, clutching the bear to his side.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments literally make my whole day


End file.
